The Platters were a successful black vocal group of the early rock n roll e… Read Full Bio ↴The Platters were a successful black vocal group of the early rock n roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock n roll Tin Pan Alley tradition of the Ink Spots and the Mills Brothers and the explosion of teenage music in the mid 1950s. The most successful incarnation of the group comprised lead tenor Tony Williams, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed, and Zola Taylor.

The Platters formed in Los Angeles, CA, USA in 1953 and were initially managed by Ralph Bass. They had a contract with Federal Records but experienced little record success until they met music entrepreneur and songwriter Buck Ram. He added lead vocalist Tony Williams (who gave the Platters their distinctive sound) and female vocalist Zola Taylor. Under Ram's guidance, the Platters recorded seven singles for Federal in an R&B/gospel style, scoring minor regional hits on the West Coast. One song recorded at Federal, "Only You (And You Alone)", originally written by Ram for the Ink Spots was deemed unreleasable by the label.

Despite lack of chart success, the Platters were a profitable touring group--so successful that The Penguins, fresh from their No. 2 single Earth Angel, asked Ram to manage them too. With the Penguins as a bargaining chip, Ram persuaded Mercury Records into a 2-for-1 deal. In order to sign the Penguins, he insisted, the label also take the Platters. Ironically, the Penguins never had a hit for the label.

Convinced by Tony Williams that "Only You" had potential, Ram had the group re-record it during their first Mercury session. Released in the summer of 1955, it became the group's first Top Ten hit on the pop charts, and topped the R&B charts for seven weeks. It has since become one of the most played records in any genre and the song has been covered by innumerable artists. Ironically, the follow-up, The Great Pretender, with lyrics written by Ram in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, exceeded the chart success of their début and became the Platters' first national No.1 hit. The Great Pretender was also the act's biggest R&B hit, with an 11-week run at the top of that chart. In 1956. The Platters appeared in the first major rock n roll movie, Rock Around the Clock, and performed both "Only You" and "The Great Pretender"[2] and they sang "You'll Never Never Know" in The Girl Can't Help It, produced the same year.

The Platters' unique vocal style touched a nerve in the music-buying public, and a string of hit singles followed, including two more Top 100 No. 1 hits, one Hot 100 No. 1 hit, and more modest hits such as "I'm Sorry" (No. 11) and "He's Mine" (No. 23) in 1957, "Enchanted" (No.12) in 1959, and "The Magic Touch" (No.4) in 1956. The Platters hit on a successful formula of updating older standards, such as "My Prayer", "Twilight Time", "Harbor Lights", "To Each His Own", "If I Didn't Care" and Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes". This latter release caused a small controversy after Kern's widow expressed concern that her late husband's composition would be turned into a "rock n roll record". It topped both American and British charts in a tasteful Platters-style arrangement.

The group was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in its inaugural year of 1998. The Platters were the first rock n roll group to have a Top Ten album in America. They were also the only act to have three songs included on the American Graffiti soundtrack that sparked an oldies revival in the early to mid-1970s: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "The Great Pretender" and "Only You (and You Alone)".

Many groups have toured bearing the name The Platters but only one member of the original line-up, Herb Reed, was still touring and performing with Herb Reed's Platters in 2008.

Zola Taylor died on April 30th 2007 of pneumonia whilst recovering from surgery.

Jingle Bell Rock
The Platters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh! jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way;
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
Hey! jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way;
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!

Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh;
O'er the fields we go,

Laughing all the way.
Bells on bobtail ring,
Making spirits bright;
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight.

Oh! jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way;
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Hey! jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way;
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!

Overall Meaning

The Platters version of "Jingle Bells Jingle" is a festive and upbeat take on a classic winter holiday song. The lyrics evoke images of cheerful sleigh rides through the snow with the sound of jingling bells ringing as the horse-drawn sleigh glides through the winter landscape. The chorus, which repeats twice in the song, emphasizes the joy of the experience and invites the listener to join in the fun with the repeated refrain, "Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh."

The first verse sets the tone for the song by introducing the jingle bells and the open sleigh in which the singer is riding. The second verse continues the story, describing the sleigh's journey through the snow and the laughter of the riders as they enjoy the ride. The chorus is the most memorable part of the song, and the repeated lines create a singalong-friendly structure that makes the song a holiday favorite.

Overall, The Platters' "Jingle Bells Jingle" is a joyous and infectious rendition of a classic holiday song that captures the spirit of the season in its lively melody and playful lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh! jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way;
Expressing excitement and happiness by the sound of jingle bells that is resounding all over the place while conveying a sense of festive celebration and merriment.

Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
Indicating that there is a great joy to be experienced while riding in a one-horse open sleigh, which is a thrilling experience that adds to the overall enjoyment of the season.

Hey! jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way;
Another enthusiastic exclamation of the sound of jingle bells that is heard everywhere, emphasizing that this is a great time to be alive and celebrating.

Dashing through the snow
Describing the movement of the sleigh as it quickly moves through the snow, creating a sense of energy and excitement.

In a one-horse open sleigh;
Emphasizing that there is only one horse pulling the sleigh, which is an important detail that adds to the overall feel of the song.

O'er the fields we go,
Describing the path of the sleigh as it moves through the fields, which is a peaceful and calming image.

Laughing all the way.
Revealing that the passengers are having a great time, laughing and enjoying each other's company while moving through the winter landscape.

Bells on bobtail ring,
Drawing attention to the sound of the bells that are attached to the horse's tail, creating an additional layer of festive jingling.

Making spirits bright;
Implying that the jingling bells are metaphorically brightening people's spirits as they celebrate the season.

What fun it is to ride and sing
Pointing out that there is an added fun to be had when singing songs while riding through the snowy landscapes on a one-horse open sleigh.

A sleighing song tonight.
Referring to the traditional songs that are sung during sleigh rides, indicating that this is a special and charming moment that evokes both tradition and joy.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: BUCK RAM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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